60 Paul McCartney Quotes on Songwriting and Life

These Paul McCartney quotes about the Beatles will make you want to listen to their music.

Paul McCartney is a legendary musician who is most famous for being the vocalist and bassist of the Beatles.

This accomplished singer and songwriter has also had a successful solo career outside of the Beatles.

The Paul McCartney quotes below will give you a deeper appreciation of his talent.

It’s impressive to consider that Paul McCartney has a wide vocal range and refined skills for playing bass, guitar, keyboards, and drums.

Are you a fan of the Beatles or of Paul McCartney’s solo work?

Whether you’re interested in rock, pop, or electronic music, there are many songs that you can enjoy from this talented artist.

These famous quotes from Paul McCartney on love, music, and passion will inspire you.

Share these insightful words of wisdom with your loved ones.

If you like this article, we suggest you explore our most popular quotes article, a list of short inspirational quotes for daily encouragement. 

Read more related content on our inspirational quotes category page.

Paul McCartney quotes on songwriting and life

1. “Think globally, act locally.” ― Paul McCartney

2. “I don’t work at being ordinary.” ― Paul McCartney

3. “The rumors of my death have been greatly exaggerated.” ― Paul McCartney

4. “In the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make.” ― Paul McCartney

5. “I’ve got to admit it’s getting better. It’s a little better all the time.” ― Paul McCartney

6. “If slaughterhouses had glass walls, everyone would be a vegetarian.” ― Paul McCartney

7. “Nothing pleases me more than to go into a room and come out with a piece of music.” ― Paul McCartney

8. “None of us wanted to be the bass player. In our minds, he was the fat guy who always played at the back.” ― Paul McCartney

9. “Somebody said to me, ‘But the Beatles were anti-materialistic.’ That’s a huge myth. John and I literally used to sit down and say, ‘Now, let’s write a swimming pool.’” ― Paul McCartney

10. “I used to think that anyone doing anything weird was weird. I suddenly realized that anyone doing anything weird wasn’t weird at all and it was the people saying they were weird that were weird.” ― Paul McCartney

Paul McCartney quotes that will give you insight into his music

11. “I’m not religious, but I’m very spiritual.” ― Paul McCartney

12. “Take these broken wings and learn to fly.” ― Paul McCartney

13. “Somewhere down the line, everyone must pay for their misdeeds.” ― Paul McCartney

14. “There are only four people who knew what the Beatles were about anyway.” ― Paul McCartney

15. “Buy, buy, says the sign in the shop window; Why, why, says the junk in the yard.” ― Paul McCartney

16. “But with writers, there’s nothing wrong with melancholy. It’s an important color in writing.” ― Paul McCartney

17. “One of my biggest thrills for me still is sitting down with a guitar or a piano and just out of nowhere trying to make a song happen.” ― Paul McCartney

18. “I definitely did look up to John. We all looked up to John. He was older and he was very much the leader; he was the quickest wit and the smartest.” ― Paul McCartney

19. “Sadness isn’t sadness. It’s happiness in a black jacket. Tears are not tears. They’re balls of laughter dipped in salt. Death is not death. It’s life that’s jumped off a tall cliff.” ― Paul McCartney

20. “When you first get money, you buy all these things so no one thinks you’re mean, and you spread it around. You get a chauffeur and you find yourself thrown around the back of this car and you think, I was happier when I had my own little car! I could drive myself!” ― Paul McCartney

Paul McCartney quotes that will inspire you to follow your passion

21. “Being in the audience actually looks like quite a lot of fun.” ― Paul McCartney

22. “I have not practiced how to be a singer without an instrument.” ― Paul McCartney

23. “Microphones are just like people, if you shout at them, they get scared.” ― Paul McCartney

24. “Why would I retire? Sit at home and watch TV? No thanks. I’d rather be out playing.” ― Paul McCartney

25. “It’s also not unusual for writers to look backward. Because that’s your pool of resources.” ― Paul McCartney

26. “Looking back, I think I was always musical. My dad was very musical, and I think my mom was musical.” ― Paul McCartney

27. “At the end of the Beatles, I really was done in for the first time in my life. Until then, I really was a kind of cocky sod.” ― Paul McCartney

28. “Look, people are allowed their own opinions and they don’t always coincide with yours. As an artist, you just have to keep plugging on.” ― Paul McCartney

29. “I think people who create and write, it actually does flow-just flows from into their head, into their hand, and they write it down. It’s simple.” ― Paul McCartney

30. “With the Beatles, we’d been very spoiled because we had George Martin who worked for the record label we were going to be signed to. That was very fortunate because we grew together.” ― Paul McCartney

Paul McCartney quotes that will give you insight into his values as a human being

31. “Lyricists play with words.” ― Paul McCartney

32. “You were only waiting for this moment to be free.” ― Paul McCartney

33. “Close your eyes and I’ll kiss you; Tomorrow I’ll miss you.” ― Paul McCartney

34. “I hate the idea of success robbing you of your private life.” ― Paul McCartney

35. “You can judge a man’s true character by the way he treats his fellow animals.” ― Paul McCartney

36. “When you were young, and your heart, was an open book. You used to say, live, and let live.” ― Paul McCartney

371. “I never look forward, because I have no idea about how any of it happened to getting here. I’ve no idea how the next five years are going to be.” ― Paul McCartney

38. “I think I always had a musicality, and I think I could tell a good song from a bad song. And I would appreciate hearing something that was new to me.” ― Paul McCartney

39. “We were pretty good mates until the Beatles started to split up and Yoko came into it. It was more like old army buddies splitting up on account of wedding bells.” ― Paul McCartney

40. “When I sit down to write a song, it’s a kind of improvisation, but I formalize it a bit to get it into the studio, and when I step up to a microphone, I have a vague idea of what I’m about to do.” ― Paul McCartney

Paul McCartney quotes that will make your day

41. “And what’s the point of changing when I’m happy as I am?” ― Paul McCartney

42. “Animation is not just for children – it’s also for adults who take drugs.” ― Paul McCartney

43. “It’s like if you’re an astronaut and you’ve been to the moon, what do you want to do with the rest of your life?” ― Paul McCartney

44. “You’re up on your beautiful Appaloosa stallion. It’s a fine spring day. We’re riding through the woods. The bluebells are all out, and the sky is clear blue.” ― Paul McCartney

If you’re enjoying these quotes, make sure to read our collection of drug quotes on how drug use can affect your mind, body, and spirit.

45. “There’s nothing as glamorous to me as a record store.” ― Paul McCartney

46. “I can’t deal with the press; I hate all those Beatles questions.” ― Paul McCartney

47. “What I have to say is all in the music. If I want to say anything, I write a song.” ― Paul McCartney

48. “When I find myself in times of trouble, mother Mary comes to me, speaking words of wisdom, let it be.” ― Paul McCartney

49. “I am alive and well and unconcerned about the rumors of my death. But if I were dead, I would be the last to know.” ― Paul McCartney

50. “I can’t manage without homeopathy. In fact, I never go anywhere without homeopathic remedies. I often make use of them.” ― Paul McCartney

You might also like these Janis Joplin quotes from the iconic singer.

More Paul McCartney quotes and sayings

51. “If you love your life, everybody will love you too.” ― Paul McCartney

52. “We got into music to avoid a job, and get lots of girls.” ― Paul McCartney

53. “Putting two songs together, I’ve always loved that trick when it works.” ― Paul McCartney

54. “Songs have some kind of structure that connects with people`s hearts.” ― Paul McCartney

55. “I just always enjoy it; if you really enjoy what you do, you don’t want to stop.” ― Paul McCartney

56. “We can work it out. Life is very short, and there’s no time for fussing and fighting, my friend.” ― Paul McCartney

57. “Live a little be a gypsy, get around. Get your feet up off the ground, live a little, get around.” ― Paul McCartney

58. “I meet so many people that just sort of say, ‘I want to thank you for your music. It really helped me’ or ‘It changed my life.’” ― Paul McCartney

59. “Music is like a psychiatrist. You can tell your guitar things that you can’t tell people. And it will answer you with things people can’t tell you.” ― Paul McCartney

60. “When you get the money, you still need to keep going; you don’t stop. There has to be something else. I think it’s the freedom to do what you want and to live your dreams.” ― Paul McCartney

What are your favorite Paul McCartney quotes on songwriting for himself and for the Beatles?

As one of the most influential bands of all time, the Beatles was made up of Paul McCartney, John Lennon, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr.

This collection of Paul McCartney quotes will remind you of some of their greatest hits.

Whether you prefer his solo work or the songs he did with the Beatles, you’ll love these quotes.

Some of Paul McCartney’s most famous songs with the Beatles include Yesterday, Eleanor Rigby, and Blackbird. 

As a solo artist, a few of his most popular songs are Jet, Junk, and Live and Let Die.

Have you heard any of these famous songs before?

What are your favorite Paul McCartney quotes and sayings about the Beatles?

Let us know in the comment section below.